


WMD

by KeyholeCat



Series: WMD (Weapon of Mass Despair) [2]
Category: Dangan Ronpa
Genre: Gen, Mastermind AU, Mastermind Ikusaba Mukuro, alternate deaths
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-03-10
Updated: 2015-12-24
Packaged: 2018-01-15 03:15:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,513
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1289047
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KeyholeCat/pseuds/KeyholeCat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>All's fair in love and war.</p>
<p>(A Dangan Ronpa AU with alternate deaths and a slightly different Mastermind.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prisoners of War

**Author's Note:**

> This is part 2 of a series! [Part 1](http://archiveofourown.org/works/1156609) is more supplementary in that it shows Mukuro Ikusaba's development as a Mastermind, but obviously you don't need to have read it to understand what's going on.

 

The world is full of “If”s… wait, what is it? You’re saying you’ve already heard this speech? In another universe? Ufufufu… well, sure, you may have heard it from a slightly more _fashionable_ bear than me, but I doubt you’ve heard it quite like this.

You know the tale of the disappointing girl who was so tragically slain by her vile sister, I assume, as well as the story of the very same girl who helped to free her classmates from the ultimate despair. But there’s another route to be taken, one that leads not to an escape switch of hope or a body full of spears, but to a world of despair in which only the strongest and most cunning survive-- the ideal environment for a true warrior of despair!

So who’s to survive in this new game of mutual killing? How have the rules changed? Will the mastermind prove to be a weapon of mass despair, or of mass disappointment? Will she learn the true meaning of despair, or of friendship? Can the ultimate despair of Junko Enoshima be so easily dominated by such a thick-headed competitor? Ufufu… I ain’t tellin’ you nothin’, so don’t ask me!

In any case, prepare for a battalion of despair, a pinch of hope, and a heap of blood. Don’t say I didn’t warn ya!

-x-x-

A lone figure stood in the center of everything, her back straight as a rod, eyes closed, and shoulders rigid. The harsh glow of the monitors held the room frozen in a silent, still tension. Despite this, her visage was tranquil. It was the final pause before the trigger was pulled. The hang time before the plunge.

Mukuro Ikusaba opened her eyes. The memory wash had been completed a few hours ago. The only participant who held any knowledge of their situation, besides herself, was Junko Enoshima, who was wasting time defacing the chalkboard of the classroom in which she was placed while she waited for the signal to relocate. “Wait until a few students have gathered in the entrance hall,” Mukuro had advised. She obliged, though not without some taunts directed at the camera.

Everything was in place. The plan was seamless; Mukuro had made sure of that. Even if something went wrong, she could improvise. Survival and adaptation were the name of the game.

She heard a muffled grumble from one of the speakers. A quick skim of the monitors revealed that one of the students—Oowada, judging by the obnoxious pompadour—was finally stirring. Mukuro narrowed her eyes and watched as the biker looked around in wild confusion before running to the steel plates bolted to the walls and trying to pry them off. Failing that, he spotted the pamphlet on the desk which instructed him to exit to the entrance hall for orientation. Mukuro did not see him make the journey, however, for her attention was drawn to other victims stirring in their respective rooms. She directed her sister to the hall accordingly; the operation was about to begin.

-x-x-

“Oh, you poor thing. You must be the most flat-chested girl I’ve ever seen! Flatter than a flapjack!” Junko snickered through her fingers as the Super High School-Level Programmer flinched and crossed their arms.

“Wh-what? Why would you…” they stuttered, trailing off and averting their eyes. They looked like they were about to cry, ha! It would be too easy to break them in two when the opportunity arose.

“Excuse me, miss! But you should not degrade your fellow students in such a way! This young lady looks perfectly fine and healthy to me!” Ishimaru declared. He then gave Junko a quick look-over. “Furthermore, it appears that your outfit is against the dress code. I recommend that you change into uniform at once!”

“Pervert! Quit looking at my body!”

“Eh? I would never--!”

“Huh? You’d never?” Junko pouted. “But who could resist such a luscious bosom, such a perfectly round behind?” She put her hands on her hips and struck a strategic pose that put her cleavage on full display. She’d netted many a victim in the past using such a method, but Ishimaru remained stiff. “Seriously? Nothing? What are you, gay?”

His constantly crimson face reddened even further. “Enoshima-kun! Your behavior towards a prefect is highly inappropriate! I recommend that you cease and desist before I write you a detention!”

At this, the model heard a soft _“tch”_ from behind. She looked to see Togami leering at them out of the corner of his eye.

“Idiot. None of us are wearing the school uniform. We just got here.”

“Oh. I seemed to have forgotten!” His expression softened almost instantaneously. He sharply thrust his pointer finger into the air. “I apologize, Enoshima-kun! Do not allow me to further interfere with your introductions!”

Chuckling at his exasperation, Junko would normally have responded with a theatrical and ultimately self-aggrandizing outburst, but she bit her tongue and held it in. As maddening as it was, she couldn’t allow the others to witness her true and terrible form; she needed to draw suspicions away from herself as much as possible. Granted, she was not bothering to rein it in _that_ much; she knew that the students were too dense to have any legitimate concerns about her yet, especially with Kirigiri being extra brainwashed. She glanced at the camera hanging from the ceiling. She just knew that her joke of a sister was just sitting there in the control room slack-jawed and glassy-eyed as she watched the scene unfold. She probably wasn’t even enjoying the discomfort Junko was causing in the other students! What an ingrate. She swallowed the blood that had pooled in her mouth from chewing her own tongue. She felt sick. Another smile split across her face.

Of course, who should be late to the party but Makoto Naegi? And, just as expected, Ishimaru scolded him for being tardy. The other students seemed to have finished their introductions, so they waited as he—what a goddamn square!—greeted each individual classmate. Junko couldn’t believe this was the guy Mukuro had a soft spot for. She’d even saved his life in the past like the fucking hypocrite that she was! If he faced execution (or, more likely, if he was attacked by a student), would she be able to just sit there and watch? Would she come up with an excuse to spare him? If it came to that, Junko thought, she would just strangle him herself. Maybe she should just fuck him and then promptly murder him. Hell, maybe not even in that order. Either way, she’d like to see Mukuro try and stop her!

“Hello? Uh, what are you looking at?” Abruptly Junko realized that Naegi had appeared before her while she was daydreaming. He stared at her quizzically.

“Makoto Naegi!” she exclaimed. “That’s who you are, right?”

The boy nearly jumped in surprise. “Yeah, how did you know?”

“I did my research, duh! I’m not as dumb as you look.”

“Oh, well so did—wait, what?” he said, furrowing his brow. Junko cackled in response. He rubbed at the back of his neck absently. “So you must be Junko Enoshima-san, right?”

Junko stopped laughing. “Whoa, what are you, a stalker? Were you the one who knocked me out earlier? Creep!”

Naegi’s eyes widened. “What? No, I didn’t…!” Then he realized that Junko was chortling as she watched him struggle. He let out a nervous chuckle and said, “I did my research, too. Great minds think alike, I guess?” _Yeah, as if!_

“Yo, Enoshima-chi,” Hagakure began, “do you, uh, think you could sign one of my magazines later?”

Asahina giggled. “You read fashion magazines, Hagakure-kun?”

He laughed enthusiastically in response. “Of course! They’ve got great tips for hair, ‘right?”

_DING DONG DING DONG_

“Huh?” Each student turned their attention to a monitor that was attached to one of the walls. A very glitchy, static-filled image of a shadow appeared on the screen.

“—get this thing to work… ah!” a voice began. Junko scoffed. _God, what an embarrassment._ “Attention all students! The opening ceremony will be taking place in the gymnasium. Attendance is mandatory! I will see you there in no more than five minutes! Oh, and, uh, welcome to Hope’s Peak.”

The room was silent for only a moment. Oogami was the first to speak. “It seems that we are where we should be after all. Though this place feels like a prison than a school.”

“Sure does…” Oowada’s expression turned sheepish. “N-not that I would know! I never been arrested or anything…”

“More like you’ve never been caught,” Celes muttered. Oowada scowled and clenched his fists, but didn’t correct her. The only thing saving her from an outburst is that she’s a girl, Junko thought. How unfortunate; Oowada’s desperate displays of manhood never failed to entertain.

Kuwata scratched his scrawny beard. “So maybe this is just some kinda prank? I remember being hazed my first year of middle school baseball, so it probably happens here too, right?”

“H-how cruel! Just who… who do they think they are?” Fukawa’s voice trembled with rage.

“Hazing? Did they lock you in a weird school, too? Make you eat toothpaste until you throw up?” Junko mused. “This had better be a trick, ‘cause otherwise that means some goon stole all my stuff!”

“They’re kind of taking it a little far, though, aren’t they? I mean, those metal plates over the windows were bolted tight. Was anyone able to find a loose one?” Naegi inquired. Everyone shook their heads.

“We aren’t going to figure this out just by standing around making conjectures. We may find some answers at the ceremony. I’m going there now.” Kirigiri departed without hesitation.

“I will go as well!” Yamada proclaimed. “The plot cannot advance if our time is occupied by too much filler dialogue!”

And so, the classmates began to filter out and wandered over to the gymnasium. Junko paused outside the door to make sure that everyone went in, though she claimed it was because she was uneasy about what might be inside. She followed the last student in and took her position within the crowd. She pretended to be just as clueless as everyone else ( _“Yeah, it looks like a normal opening ceremony to me!”_ ) until a disembodied cartoony voice called everyone to attention and the lights dimmed.

She could practically feel the hope in the air fizzle out as the plush, robotic form of Monokuma plopped onto the podium upon the stage.

“Eh? What is that, a teddy bear? The school mascot, maybe?” wondered Maizono.

Togami scowled. “What do they think we are, children? I am a high school student. I will not be pandered to with _toys._ ”

“Hey!” the bear shouted. “I’m as much a toy as a live grenade! Call me that again, and I might just blow you up!” Way to be subtle, sis.

“It talks?” Hagakure was stupefied, as was the rest of the class.

“Of course I can talk! And I’ll demonstrate as much by introducing myself!” He stood up on two wobbly legs. “My name is Monokuma. I will be your headmaster here at Hope’s Peak Academy, and you will address me as such. So show a little respect, yeah?” Monokuma scolded.

“Headmaster…?” Fukawa echoed. “Y-you’re mocking us, aren’t you? What g-gives you... the right…?”

“Hah! Your very existence is a mockery!” bellowed Monokuma. “Don’t even try to talk to me about rights. You’re lucky I’m even letting you live, let alone stay in such a cushy shelter like this! Monokuma’s red eye flashed and his smile deepened. “Which brings me to the next point of interest… you _maggots_ will be staying here, locked in the school… forever!”  Maggots? A military trope like that? Really? Junko nearly gagged.

“Huh?” said Asahina, looking shaken.  “What is that supposed to mean?”

“It means exactly what it sounds like! You’re all going to be living here until the end of your days.”

“The end of our days? What the _fuck?_ I didn’t sign up for this!” Junko raged.

“Oh, don’t worry! There are plenty of provisions, so you won’t be starving or anything. You won’t even have to go to class! I don’t see what you maggots are complaining about, you have it easy!”

“I did not choose to attend this school so that I could just lounge around with a horde of nose-picking commoners. I demand that you release me at once.” Togami crossed his arms defiantly.

“Oh? Well, if you want out so badly, then you’ll have to show me that you deserve your freedom…”

“A way out? What is it?” Kuwata asked indignantly.

“What do we have to do, saw off our own leg or something?” Junko huffed. “Hasn’t that been done already?”

“Oh, no! Nothing as counterproductive as that.” He shook his head and continued, “You see, in order to graduate from Hope’s Peak, you must be the best, correct? But how do you prove that you are the best? How do you show that you are the smartest and the strongest?” Monokuma put his paws on his cheeks and smiled again. “It’s simple, really. You must kill somebody.”

“Wh-what? But that means… we have to…!” Ishimaru looked like he was going to have a heart attack.

Celes nodded. “In order to graduate and be released from captivity, a person must murder one of their classmates.”

“One of us?” Naegi said, incredulous. “No… I won’t believe it!”

The bear waved his paws in the air excitedly. “It’s true, I’m afraid! Oh, and you can’t get caught, either. That’s an important detail.”

“Wahahahaha!” Every student jumped in surprise except for Hagakure, who had started laughing enthusiastically. “Kill a classmate? Man, this is the craziest prank ever. And I’ve been in some weird situations, so that’s saying something!”

“Hagakure-kun… I don’t think this is a joke…” Fujisaki said shakily.

“Hahaha! Oh, don’t worry, Fujisaki-chi, we can play along until the show is over, ‘right?”

“Ufufufufufu… With an attitude like that, you’ll make an easy target! Believe what you’d like, but it doesn’t change the fact that I am telling the truth. If you want to leave, you must…” Monokuma threw his arms into the air again. “…slaughter somebody! Destroy them! Annihilate them! Defeat them! Stab them, bash them, break them! It does not matter the method as long as their heart stops beating and their brain goes dead. Only then will you be victorious!”

“Victorious, you say.” Oogami closed her eyes in thought. “And what if we choose to defeat _you?”_

“Eh? What do you—“ before he could finish, the warrior soared through the air and landed a crushing blow right into the bot’s face. The metal shell of the model crunched under her fist as if it were cardboard. _Hah! So much for Super High-School Level Reflexes,_ thought Junko. Monokuma hadn’t even flinched as he’d been assaulted.

“O-oogami-chan! You--!” Asahina was at a loss for words. Meanwhile, Junko heard a faint beeping coming from the carcass.

“It’s a bomb! Get rid of it, quickly!” Kirigiri shouted, to Junko’s frustration. Without a moment’s hesitation, the wrestler kicked it high into the air. As it reached the top of its ascent, it exploded in a bright burst of flame. Chunks of flaming Monokuma landed amongst the shocked teens.

“Oogami-dono vanquished the villain! But…” Yamada’s eyes flashed behind his glasses. “Be careful, Oogami-dono! He may be reborn through the spirit of revenge!” Sometimes even Junko wondered what was going on inside Yamada’s head.

As expected, another Monokuma popped up. “You’ve got that right!” He brandished his claws. “You’d better be more careful next time… if any of you maggots break a rule again, I will kill you dead! No exceptions!” A worried murmur sounded throughout the crowd. “Speaking of rules, you can find the complete list on your electronic student I.D. cards, which I will give to you now. Your I.D. card is essential, so keep it close. And don’t even think about trying to break it! It’s indestructible, I assure you!” After a brief, somewhat silly interlude during which Monokuma marched dutifully through the center of the crowd and tossed everyone their ElectroIDs, he announced, “Well, then! That is it for our opening ceremony! Enjoy your stay at hotel Hope’s Peak, you maggots!” And with that, the bear hopped back onto the podium and descended into who-knows-where.  

-x-x-

Choosing a mole proved to be difficult. Junko suggested the wrestler, but Mukuro had reservations about provoking the only person in the building that could possibly defeat her in a fight.  Having Oogami on her side would at least eliminate any physical threat against herself, but Mukuro didn’t fully trust the girl to put her own desires before her sense of honor, and killing an innocent person was hardly honorable. Making allies out of enemies wasn’t something Mukuro was used to, either; she’d sooner have a foe lying face-down in the dirt than try to talk sense into them, particularly since she preferred to avoid dialogue entirely. Still, having a mole that wasn’t Junko could prove very useful, especially after her anticipated imprisonment.

It had to be someone unlikely to be suspected, but possible to persuade, whether through words or through action. After some deliberation, she chose one of the students least expected to murder somebody: Sayaka Maizono. Upon declaring this to Junko, she burst out laughing, but Mukuro was serious; the girl had participated in some morally questionable acts in order to get what she wanted in the past, so it wasn’t out of the question that she would do it again. Besides, Mukuro reasoned, getting a seemingly innocent young girl like Maizono to become a murderer would strike despair into the hearts of viewers everywhere. Junko still seemed skeptical, but she didn’t argue any further.

And so when the teenage idol retired to her room for the night, she was treated a special visit from Monokuma himself. Maizono listened in horror, eyes round as dinner plates, as the bear explained his proposition. Before the girl could protest, Monokuma illustrated the consequences should his offer be rejected: the murder of Maizono’s family as well as her precious musical group. This, of course, was a complete lie, for they were already long dead. But the idol didn’t know that.

Still, she resisted. “I…I couldn’t… I could never kill anyone! E-even if I wanted to, I… I’m not strong enough… I’m sorry. I just can’t…”

“Can’t?” Monokuma cocked his head and scratched his chin thoughtfully. “Can’t, can’t… nope, sorry, I’m afraid that’s not an option! Hmm, well, if you won’t listen to me, then maybe your dearly beloved can convince you?” He snickered and gestured to the monitor hanging on the wall. Maizono watched the screen warily.

An image—no, a video—of her friends and family appeared. They were tied to chairs and blindfolded in the middle of a dark room. Maizono gasped, her hand flying to cover her mouth in surprise.

“H-hey, Sayaka-chan… do what the bear guy says, okay?” said one of the girls.

“Please!” said another, the tip of a machine gun pressed to her temple from off-camera. “Please help us!”

“Sayaka,” said Maizono’s father, his voice weak. Blood streamed from his forehead and dripped from his chin. “I know you can do it. Be brave, sweetheart.”

The screen went blank, but Maizono continued to stare at it, seemingly petrified except for the tears rolling down her cheeks. Monokuma put his paws on his cheeks. “Ufufufu… Oh, my. It looks like your comrades are in need of assistance, huh? Too bad you’re stuck in here…”

Maizono’s eyes widened. “No… they can’t be…” She leapt to her feet, eyes darting wildly. Bingo. “I have to save them! I… I have to get out of here!” Instead of running for the exit, however, she lunged at Monokuma and grasped him by the chest-fur.

“Augh! Let me go, let me go! I’ll mess you up!”

“Please, you have to let me out of here! I have to save them! I’ll do anything!”

“Anything?” Monokuma’s eye flashed.

“Well…” Maizono faltered. Monokuma slapped her hands away and flipped backwards onto the bed.

“Lemme put this nice and simple for you: if you don’t do exactly as I say, your bosom buddies are gonna bite the dust, understood?” Maizono nodded frantically. “Good! If you maggots get up to anything that would make my fur bristle, I’ll be expecting a full report from you personally. And if things get too comfy around here, it’ll be your job to shake things up!” He paused. “I’m referring to murder, in case that wasn’t clear. Now get a good night’s rest; you have an important job to do!”


	2. Whatever Happened to the Fear of God? (Pt. 1)

Sayaka Maizono sat upon the edge of her bed, her mind abuzz with apprehension. She kept trying to convince herself that it wasn’t real, she was just dreaming, hallucinating, anything as long as she knew that it was all a lie. Up until she had watched her friends and family beg for their lives onscreen, she had clung to a glimmer of hope that it was all a sick joke. But no, this was reality, and reality was as harsh as it ever was. She fell onto her bed, sobbing. Why must she destroy others in order to get what she needed? She never wanted any of this. She never wanted to hurt others as she clawed her way to fame, and she certainly did not want to kill anyone. Why was the world so cruel? Was it like this for other people? Certainly not, for she could never imagine somebody like Naegi purposely harming others just to live life how he wanted. Maybe she should never have followed her dreams, after all. She could have been fine with a simple life.

But it was too late for that, now. She had a duty to her career and her friendships outside the school walls; she was loyal to her singing group above these people she barely knew. Even above Naegi… but what could she do about it? Should she really murder one of these people? Could she?

The image of her broken and bleeding friends flashed in her mind. She had to do it. She couldn’t stay here any longer! They were in danger! Surely she could save them if she escaped, or at least try!

Killing Naegi was out of the question; if she went after him, she’d take one look at him and falter. It had to be someone who she got along with, but not so much that she’d miss them terribly. Another sob forced itself out of her lungs. God, what was she thinking? That she wouldn’t feel an ounce of regret or guilt after the deed was done? She clenched her fists against her sheets. No. She had to do this. She just had to stop thinking about the awfulness so much. She needed to think clearly so that she could make a plan.

Monokuma’s words echoed in her mind. _“Ufufufufufu… With an attitude like that, you’ll make an easy target!”_ Hagakure… he was too clueless to realize that this whole disaster was completely real, so he probably didn’t have his guard up like the rest of her classmates. She’d at least have the element of surprise. On the other hand, Kuwata had already taken a liking to her. He seemed to be bent on impressing her, too, so she doubted that he’d immediately suspect her until it was too late.

Too late… in other words, dead. Heart sinking, she wondered whether any other famous idols had ever killed. She had worked so hard to keep her reputation squeaky clean, and here she was planning murder. The irony made her want to vomit.

Still, it was better than languishing in this godforsaken place. She eyed the security camera in the corner of the room. She was sure whoever was watching was getting a kick out of her misery. Whatever. If this was the game that the Puppetmaster wanted her to play, then she’d damn well play it, and she would win. She had to, if only for the sake of her friends onstage.

-x-x-

The control room door swung open and crashed into the wall, announcing Junko’s entry. Mukuro may have leapt out of her skin if she hadn’t seen her sister striding brazenly down the halls on the monitors. “Junko,” she acknowledged. “What is it?”

“Oh, nothing in particular. I was just thinkin’ about you.” She pinched Mukuro’s freckled cheeks affectionately.

“I find that hard to believe,” the soldier replied, batting the offending hand away.

Junko huffed. “Well, it’s kind of hard to ignore you when you’re the one hovering over us like the corpse that you are. It would be nice to get your ugly mug out of my mind for five fuckin’ minutes!”

“I’ll take that as a compliment. What do you need? I’m a little busy.”

“Busy my ass. It’s fuckin’ midnight, everyone’s either asleep or jerking off in their rooms.” She yawned. “Then again, I should probably get some rest, too. Big day tomorrow! Wouldn’t want to be half-asleep.”

“Big day…? How do you mean?” Mukuro echoed, cocking an eyebrow.

Junko giggled. “Wouldn’t you like to know!”

“I would, actually...”

Her smile widened. “A big ol’ lightning bolt.”

“What?”

“You don’t remember that conversation at all? Come on, that was great material!” She drooped and lowered her voice. “What a waste… everything I do for you is a waste. I taught you how to be Monokuma, but your acting couldn’t convince a two-year-old.” She put her hands on her hips and scowled. “Mix it up a little! Be creative! Say stuff like, ‘You are not a beautiful and unique snowflake! You are the same decaying organic matter as everyone else!’ Anything as long as it’s not putting me to sleep.”

Mukuro crossed her arms defensively. “Creative? Isn’t that… a line from a movie?” She shook her head. “I’m doing well enough... It’s not as though anyone would recognize me even if I retained my personality. I mean, we could have gone with Monookami and I’d still get away with it.”

“Of course. And while we’re at it, I could just tell you to kill everyone here and be done with it. That’s more in your character, too, isn’t it?”

“If you only came here to criticize my methods, then I’m going to ask you to leave. I’m—“

“Busy, of course. I guess with your tiny brain, it takes all of your concentration just to stare at a goddamn screen when nothing is happening anyway.”

“One of the students is up to something,” Mukuro stated simply. “I think they’re going to attempt a killing tonight.”

Junko smirked. “’They’? Oh, I get it, I have to play by the rules and be just as clueless as everyone else.” She tossed her hair over her shoulder. The next words out of her mouth were directed away from the Puppetmaster. “I hope you’ve realized by now that you’re not the star of this show. All of this has been set up for me so that _I_ could take the stage… all while being in the rafters.” She faced Mukuro again, though the soldier was now gazing intently at the wall of monitors. “Why do you think I insisted on you ‘capturing’ me? So that I wouldn’t be tempted to win the game myself?” Junko chuckled. “No, the title of ‘Mastermind’ rightfully belonged to me all along. You can see that, can’t you?”

“You know…” Mukuro began, still facing the screens. “There’s a Norse prophecy that states that during the events of the apocalypse, the god Odin will try to slay the monstrous wolf, Fenrir, with a spear. However, the wolf is far too strong for Odin; the god is instead predicted to die in the jaws of the beast.” The soldier glanced over her shoulder. “I... just thought that was interesting.”

Junko turned slowly to fully face the girl. For a moment she simply stared at Mukuro with wide eyes in silence. Then she tilted her head, put a finger to her chin, and said, “I didn’t know you could read, sis!”

Mukuro leered at her sister through slitted eyes. “Get out of my fucking control room.”

Junko breathed an amused “hah” as Mukuro drew near and grabbed her wrist, presumably to show her to the door. “So you’ve finally decided to grow a spine, huh? It’s a little late for that, don’tcha think?” Junko could see in her beloved sister’s eyes that she knew what her twin was alluding to: mutiny.

Mukuro’s intense glare suddenly went cold. She pulled Junko close and muttered, “You’d like me to take orders from you like a hound? Fine. Or…”

“…Or?” Junko humored.

“…Or if you give me twenty-four hours… I will show you what I can do. Will you give me that much?”

Junko tapped her chin thoughtfully. “Hmmm. Maybe. But if I get too bored before then, I can’t guarantee that I’ll cooperate.”

“I promise…I’ll finally give you… what you want…” As Mukuro said this, her grip around Junko’s wrist tightened such that she was certain that it would snap if she squeezed any harder.

Junko’s breath hitched for only a moment before she managed to adopt a deadpan expression. “Say it. Out loud.” _God_ , Mukuro set herself up for that one. Still, her eyes darted back up to reflect Junko’s gaze. Her next statement came out as a whisper:

_“Despair.”_

-x-x-

“Good moooorning, Enoshima-cha…-cha…” Asahina gaped at the girl as she entered. “E-Enoshima-chan! What happened to your neck?”

“Huh?” Makoto squinted, trying to see what Asahina was talking about. Sure enough, Enoshima’s neck was mottled with violet markings. “Enoshima-san! A-are you okay? Did you get hurt?”

Enoshima frowned and pointed an accusatory finger in their direction. “Hey! Don’t you have any fuckin’ manners? It’s rude to point out that sort of thing!”

Makoto was about to ask _“What sort of thing?”_ when he heard Fukawa mutter some distance away, “I-I knew it… girls like that, th-they’re only out for one thing!” A somewhat crazed whine issued from her throat. “T-To think… they’d let such a dirty girl set foot in here…!” Fukawa’s snicker resembled a hiss. “Then again, maybe that’s how she got in…”

“Go to hell,” Enoshima growled. “It’s called anemia, okay? I bruise easily! It’s not as bad as it looks.”

“May I ask who the lucky fellow is? Did you, perhaps, know him before our imprisonment?” Celes inquired, her hand concealing a small smile.

But Enoshima crossed her arms and replied, “None of your goddamn business! Anyway, don’t we have anything more important to talk about? What’s the latest scoop, eh?”

“That’s right! We should commence the meeting post-haste! I will begin by taking attendance,” declared Ishimaru.

“There is no need. I have already determined who is absent,” said Oogami. “We are missing Kuwata, Maizono, and Hagakure.”

“Huh? Kuwata-kun and Hagakure-kun I can believe, but Maizono-san…” Makoto felt his heart drop. She was never late! Was something wrong? His mind flashed to the events of last night. She’d switched rooms with him after she informed him of the almost-break-in. She had to be okay, right? “I… I’m gonna go check on—“

In that moment, someone cleared their throat behind Makoto. He turned to see a rather ragged-looking Maizono standing in the doorway. “Sorry I’m late! I didn’t sleep very well last night.” She took her place next to him, though she did not look at him when he said good morning. She must be half-asleep, he thought. At least she was safe, he supposed.  

“I will ‘let it slide’ this time, Maizono-kun. But perhaps you should consider going to bed at an earlier time tonight!” said Ishimaru. “At least you are not the last to arrive, yes? Did you happen to see any of the—“

“Other students? No, I wasn’t really paying attention on my way here. I’m sorry.”

“Hey! What’s up, dawgs?” a familiar voice called from the cafeteria’s entrance. Makoto recognized Kuwata for his blazing red hair. “Heh, sorry, I overslept again. Did I miss anything good?”

“Looks like Dead-locs is still missing. Anybody seen him?” Enoshima ignored Kuwata and glanced about the crowd. Nobody spoke up.

“He’s probably still asleep somewhere, the lout,” Togami grumbled.

“Should we look for him?” Fujisaki suggested. “I mean, just in case…” She trailed off, but everyone knew what she meant.

“Perhaps we should split up and search. He may be safe and sound, but if he isn’t, we wouldn’t want to stumble upon him days later by accident,” stated Celes.

“Don’t say that! I’m sure he’s perfectly fine,” Asahina insisted. She pounded a fist into her open hand. “I’ll prove it! Sakura-chan and I will be the ones to find him!”

Oogami nodded. “Very well. We will first check his room, then continue searching the rest of the dorms.”

“I’ll come, too! I’m gonna give that idiot a piece of my mind when I find him,” announced Enoshima.

“An excellent idea! Naegi-kun, Oowada-kun, Kuwata-kun, and I will search the academy,” said Ishimaru. “Kirigiri-kun, Maizono-kun, and Fujisaki-kun, you will also be a search party.”

“We’ll check the gymnasium,” chimed Maizono.

“And the rest of you—“

“Will stay here,” Togami stated bluntly.

“I will search the kitchen thoroughly. I’ll double- and triple- and quadruple-check until he appears!” exclaimed Yamada.

“Hmm? Ah, yes, someone should stay behind in case he arrives late after all!” Ishimaru clapped his hands. “Let us reconvene when we have found him!”

-x-

No luck. Makoto didn’t voice his doubts, but he had a bad feeling about this. At first the search had started as a “let’s find the sleepyhead!” quest, but now everyone was genuinely frightened. What if Monokuma had done something to him? Would they even be able to find out, if that was the case?

Maybe he _had_ fallen asleep somewhere, but it wasn’t his dormitory. If so, Monokuma was sure to have acted. You’d think, though, that the headmaster would gloat over his punishment of the fortune teller, Makoto pondered. What had happened?

As he approached his bedroom door, he noticed that Maizono’s nameplate seemed to have been knocked off her door. Odd, he thought. Maybe he’d slammed the door too hard when he left for breakfast. Yeah, that was probably it, he thought. Without giving it a second thought, he dismissed it and continued into his dorm.

“…Huh?”

His room was… off. His practice sword was knocked off its stand and his floor was covered in scuff marks. His bathroom door was ajar as well. Not even the bed sheets had been spared… he suddenly remembered Enoshima’s state this morning. Had she and Maizono…? No! Maizono was an idol; she wouldn’t do something like that. He shuddered involuntarily at the thought.

Makoto gulped as he approached the room with the shower. He had a very bad feeling about this. His hand trembled as he gingerly placed it upon the door and pushed slowly…

Hagakure lay in a pool of scarlet which still dripped down the drain. Makoto screamed and passed out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow celes


	3. Whatever Happened to the Fear of God? (Pt. 2)

Sayaka could not look Naegi in the eye no matter how hard she tried. He knew that she was the culprit; she could feel it in the goosebumps covering her skin. And so, she stood as far away from him as possible when Monokuma ordered everyone to convene in the gymnasium after the discovery of Hagakure’s body. Other than her avoidance of him, though, she thought she was doing a decent job of maintaining her composure. Nobody else suspected a thing as far as she knew.

She finally forced herself to glance in his direction. From what she could see, he was quite shaken; he seemed to be swaying on his feet. Of course, she imagined that was largely due to the fact that he’d regained consciousness mere minutes ago. She wondered if he’d told anyone that the two of them had switched rooms the night prior. Probably not, right? He’d hold fast to his promise to protect her, right? He meant it when he said that he’d help her get out of there… right?

“Good morning, you maggots!” Monokuma called from his position on the podium. He inhaled deeply and let out a pleased sigh. “Ahhh… what a beautiful day! The scent of blood’s thick in the air, tears are shining on your cheeks like a morning dew… it’s the perfect mood for a romantic murder trial!” Monokuma’s crimson eye gleamed. “By the way, if anyone was looking to ask me out on a date, now would be an excellent time.” Everyone was either too shocked or indifferent to protest. “No?” He pretended to breathe on his paw and sniff it. “Ah, maybe I should lay off the salmon…”

“Can we get on with this already? My time is far too valuable to be wasting it listening to a deluded toy babble on.” Togami implored as he tapped his foot theatrically.

It was Monokuma’s turn to be theatrical as he clutched his chest in mock pain. “Oof! You could kill a man with such harsh words! Good thing I don’t have a heart to break. Unless the bomb in my chest counts?” he mused. Togami was just about to open his mouth again when the bear suddenly leapt up and waved his arms about. “Anyway! We have our first casualty! Hooray! Something to be proud of, yeah? After all, it means that one of you maggots is one step closer to graduation. Bet your families can’t wait to see you walk across the stage and collect your diploma. If they weren’t all dead, that is.”

The crowd gasped in horror. Beside her, Sayaka heard Fujisaki whimper, “No… y-you wouldn’t…”

“Ufufufu… who knows? Maybe I’m lying.”

“You bastard… quit bullshitting us and make up your mind!” shouted Oowada.

“More like, get to the fucking point already!” Enoshima jeered.

Monokuma chuckled darkly, his grin hidden behind his paws. “Your wish is my command.” He lowered his arms. “You think that just because you produced a corpse, you can just get out of here scot-free, do you? Have you maggots forgotten already? There’s another requirement for graduation.” The bear cocked his head and wiggled his ears cutely. “Do you remember? Any volunteers?”

“Uh… the killer’s gotta get away with— _augh_! What the—?” Kuwata narrowly dodged a microphone which had flown through the air towards his face.

“Raise your hand before speaking, Leon Kuwata-kun!” shouted Monokuma. He clearly didn’t need the device, anyway.

“What? Since when do we have to do that?” Kuwata grumbled.

“Yes, Celes-san, what is it?”

Celes lowered her hand. “The rules state that any student who wishes to graduate must murder one of his or her classmates and get away with it.”

“I cannot imagine who among us would kill Hagakure, and I don’t believe any one of us spotted the murderer. Does this mean that the culprit has indeed ‘gotten away with it’?” Oogami’s solemn voice rumbled before a moment of stunned silence.

“Afraid not! It’s not enough to just kill without any witnesses. That would be too easy, don’t you think?”

“I-it was him…” Fukawa ignored the bear and pointed a trembling finger in Naegi’s direction. “Th-the body was found in his room, wasn’t it? It had to be… it could only be him!”

Each student, including Sayaka, looked Naegi’s way in alarm. _Have they only just made that connection now?_ the idol wondered. She felt simultaneous waves of relief and dread. Maybe she should have tried to switch rooms with someone else. She hadn’t really wanted to get Naegi mixed up in this.

“What? N-no, I swear I didn’t! I…” Naegi shook off his frightened expression and clenched his fists. “None of us could have killed Hagakure-kun! If anyone killed him…” He jabbed a stubborn digit towards Monokuma. “It was him!” Sayaka’s eyebrows jumped in surprise. What? He didn’t suspect her? Or was he just in denial?

Monokuma spoke up. “Hey, hey, hey! I don’t have anything to gain from just killing any of you willy-nilly. If I wanted to kill you, I wouldn’t bother with all these rules, so let me finish my explanation! Don’t get started before I even tell you what’s up!” The students returned their gazes to Monokuma warily. “As I was saying, we need to do this nice and professional-like. So, at the end of the day, after a period of independent investigation, you maggots will be participating in a mandatory class trial, during which you will determine the culprit of the murder. So look before you leap, yeah? Your lives are on the line, after all.”

“Say what? Our ‘lives are on the line’? How the hell does that work?” Oowada asked, practically snarling.

“Aha! I forgot to mention. If you correctly identify the culprit through popular vote, then they alone will be punished and the innocents will continue to live within the school walls. If you choose incorrectly, however… you will all be punished and the victorious culprit will be released from captivity. That’s graduation!”

“Punished? What do you mean?” asked Sayaka, alarmed. She didn’t remember hearing anything about punishment. Why hadn’t Monokuma mentioned it to her?

“Execution, of course!” Monokuma announced with a grin. The entire party of students seemed to pale. Sayaka suddenly felt even sicker than before.

“Execution? Isn’t that a little… extreme? Perhaps a time-out would suffice?” Yamada entreated.

“Nyahahaha! Extreme? This is a game of life and death! There is no cheating, no mercy, no in-between!” Monokuma’s eye flashed. “It’s just like real life, y’know. If you win, you live. If you lose… you die.”

“I… don’t think that’s how life actually works…” muttered Asahina.

“Hold up hold up hold up _hold up!_ ” Enoshima cried out angrily. “Vote on which one of us is gonna get killed by you? That’s… that’s so fucked up! I don’t want that shitty responsibility!”

“Oh…? What will you do, pout in the corner like the spoiled child you are while everyone else does the dirty work?” Sayaka could swear she heard Enoshima’s teeth grinding. “I’m afraid that’s not permissible. The trial is mandatory, after all. If you break the rules like that, you will face the consequences. No exceptions!”

“What are you gonna do, execute me? Go ahead! At least I’ll be spared from all the garbage you’re spewing.” She pointed a finger sharply towards Monokuma. “I’ve had with taking all these stupid orders from you, got it? You’ve had your fun. Now it’s time for you to _shut the hell up!_ ”

Monokuma put his paws to his face in mock-worry. “W-well then! If that’s how you feel, then… if you’d truly like me to step down…” The bear suddenly leapt from the podium and landed a few meters before the seething blonde. Everyone else took a few steps back. “…You’ll have to defeat me in unarmed combat!” The toy struck a silly-looking karate-esque pose. “Come at me! I’ll chop you up faster than you can say— _ack!_ ” Enoshima had stridden forward and stomped Monokuma right in his chest.

“There,” sneered Enoshima, grinding him into the floor with her heel, “this is much more fitting for you, isn’t it?”

“Ufufufufu… are you satisfied?”

Enoshima’s lips twitched into a crooked smile. “You wish. I’m only getting started.”

“I see. So that’s how it is. Y’know…” Monokuma crossed his arms behind his head and propped one foot over the opposite knee as though relaxing despite the foot crushing his chest. “…assaulting the headmaster is against the school rules.”

“Huh? So what?” Enoshima crossed her arms in defiance. Maizono couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Had she already forgotten what happened last time they tried to destroy Monokuma?

“So… no exceptions.” Monokuma’s limbs began to flail wildly. “I call upon my spirit guardian, terror of Ragnarök and swallower of gods! Fenrisúlfr, protect your master!”

At this, the podium behind Monokuma burst into a thousand splinters as a huge, robotic dog leapt from the stage and tackled Junko, pinning her to the ground. Freed from his oppressor, Monokuma sprang up and landed on his feet. “Good boy! Ufufu… ufufufu… any last words, mortal?”

Strangely, the fashionista didn’t even struggle under the paws of the beast; she simply stared at it in shock. Sayaka strained to hear what she said. “You’re… you’re really gonna do it, huh? It’s about time… heheh…” She let her head fall back onto the ground, leaving her neck dangerously exposed. “Just do it… make me pr—“ Whatever she was trying to say was halted by the beast tearing violently into her throat with sharp, metallic teeth. Sayaka watched, mouth agape, as her body seized with agony for a few moments before going completely limp. The monster continued to rip and shred apart her previously fair neck even after her form became still.

“Gyahahahahahaha! No exceptions, I said! Let that be a lesson to you maggots! Even Super High-School Level Perfection cannot cheat the jaws of death!” But most of the students were too shocked to absorb Monokuma’s words. Some turned away and shut their eyes and ears in a futile attempt to escape or forget the horror. One of them threw up onto the gym floor. Still others watched the scene unfold, whether petrified or fascinated, Sayaka didn’t know. All she knew was that she had to get out of here, had to flee this gruesome nightmare at any cost. As she covered her eyes with her hands, her palms quickly became wet with tears.

“Fenrisúlfr! Heel!” The robotic beast ceased its attack immediately. “Ufufufu… as I was saying… Hey! At attention, you cowards! Your headmaster is speaking!” The trembling students reluctantly faced the grisly scene once again. “Ahem. As I was saying… this is your world now, you maggots. If you step a toe out of line, I’ll have you dead on the ground faster than you can say ‘asino morto.’”

“What the hell does that mean?” Kuwata whispered.

“It means ‘dead ass,’ idiot,” replied Togami.

Monokuma stretched his arms and yawned. “Ahh… I feel so relaxed! It’s like a huge weight has been lifted from my furry chest. It’s been so long since I’ve killed someone! An entire week, I think? I was starting to get antsy. Anyway, you maggots have a few hours to investigate until the trial begins. I’ll round you up with an announcement when the time comes. Now, then… get cracking!” Sayaka held her breath, waiting for Monokuma to leap into the nether, but instead, he simply stood for a moment, still as a statue. “Uh… c-crap! That stupid dog broke my only way out of this pit! Ah, well… I’ll just hitchhike to the next exit.” He hopped onto the mechanical canine’s back, which still hovered over Enoshima’s still form, maw dripping with strings of bright red fluids. “Forward march, Fenris’!” The wolf reared and charged through the frightened crowd and out of the gymnasium.

“Gyaaaaaah! A mecha-hound is on the loose!” shrieked Yamada, his brow coated with beads of sweat.

“Unreal… did that just happen? Am I dreaming?” Asahina pinched herself on the arm and let out a small yelp. Definitely not a dream.

“There’s no doubt about it. This isn’t a trick or a prank. This ‘game’ is real, and we’re all in danger.” Kirigiri stated.

“That much is obvious. In any case, I’m going to begin my investigation of the murder. I don’t want to be eliminated in the first round before getting my chance to play.” Sayaka had to stop herself from gaping at Togami’s apathetic tone.

Kirigiri scowled, but did not argue. “I will go and examine the body,” she announced.  

“Me too! Or, well, I’ll search the crime scene,” Naegi offered. “It’s my room, after all.”

“How do we know that you won’t tamper with any evidence?” Togami probed, leering at the boy. “You must be trying to win this game, after all.”

“Huh? No, I—“

Oogami cut in. “Oowada and I are the strongest people here. We will guard the scene.”

“Eh?” grumbled Oowada. “Who says I wanna listen to you, huh?”

“Is there any other way in which you would like to contribute?” she asked.

Oowada scowled in silence for a moment before giving a reluctant “No, I guess not… yeah, I’ll do it.” Oogami nodded in appreciation.

“I think I’ll stay here with Enoshima-san,” said Fujisaki. “I don’t want… that thing… to come back and…” She shuddered, eyes welling with tears. “I should have… I should have done something!” she cried, clenching her tiny fists.

“That’s how I feel,” said Naegi, “but… I don’t think any of us could have done anything about it. Enoshima-san is—or, was—pretty headstrong.”

“We should get moving,” said Kirigiri.

“I agree with Kirigiri-kun,” Ishimaru stated, nodding. “It is important to honor our fallen friends, but we must also ensure that they have not died in vain.” He raised his fist into the air. “Everyone, do your very best! For Hagakure-kun and for Enoshima-kun!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back by popular demand! Sort of.


	4. Whatever Happened to the Fear of God? (Pt. 3)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M SCREAMING this chapter was written over a year ago... SORRY

Makoto approached the elevator gates, his thoughts full of dread and regret. Against the reservations of almost every other student, all of the evidence he found pointed to Maizono’s culpability. He had tried to put it out of his mind, keep an unbiased conscience like Kirigiri advised, but it didn’t keep him from imagining the slender idol dragging Hagakure’s huge, lifeless corpse across the bedroom floor. All he could do now was hope that reviewing the evidence would reveal the culprit’s identity as someone he had not suspected. Not that he wanted any of his classmates to die, but thinking of his closest friend as a killer made him feel increasingly nauseous.

The elevator descended. The student body stood in silence. It was hard to believe that he was in close quarters with a killer. He still had trouble wrapping his mind around the concept. He continued to mull over the evidence in his head. There had to be _something_ that suggested Maizono’s innocence. It didn’t matter how badly she wanted to escape; such a kind, gentle girl could never kill a person… could she?

The elevator jerked to a halt and everyone stumbled. The gates opened with an agonizing noise of metal scraping against metal. Makoto shook his head vigorously as though trying to shake the negativity away. He couldn’t let his doubt cloud his mind, not now. Before all else, he needed to prove his own innocence. Then he’d worry about who the real killer was. He didn’t like the idea of fighting against his best friend, but he didn’t have any other choice. The best he could hope for now was that it was all a misunderstanding.

-x-

If only he could be so lucky.

“Let’s walk through this and make sure we’ve got everything right,” Makoto began. “The culprit wrote a note asking the reader to meet them in their room that night. They slipped this note under Hagakure-kun’s door. At some point during the day, the culprit grabbed a kitchen knife while Asahina-san and Oogami-san were in the cafeteria. Later on, I exchanged rooms with Maizono-san after she said somebody tried to break into her room. After that, the culprit switched my name plate with Maizono’s so that Hagakure-kun would come to my door instead of the culprit’s. When they let him inside, they quickly attacked, ultimately stabbing him in the chest with the knife. There wasn’t much to the fight since Hagakure-kun still thought that the whole ‘mutual killing’ thing was a joke. Next, the culprit tried to drag the body into my shower, but found that it couldn’t be opened. Since I forgot to mention the trick to opening my bathroom door, the culprit opened up my toolkit and unscrewed the doorknob. The body was thrown into the shower, though the doorknob didn’t get fixed afterwards. Furthermore, when the culprit tried to switch the nameplates back, Maizono’s didn’t stick right; it fell down when I left for breakfast the morning after the murder, which is how I found it when I returned to my room after looking for Hagakure-kun. Before that, though, the culprit used my lint roller to clean any hair left behind. However, these lint sheets, along with the culprit’s shirt and a towel they used to clean the bloodstains, also got some blood on them in the process. The culprit didn’t have any safe place to dispose of the evidence, so they stuffed it under their mattress, not knowing that everyone’s room would be searched later.” Makoto took a deep breath and scowled in determination. This was it. He couldn’t let his feelings stop him from voicing the truth. “And the owner of that room, and the culprit of this case… is Sayaka Maizono-san.”

All eyes were suddenly on the idol. Trembling, she returned each student’s gaze, her eyes darting between faces. “Maizono-san…” Makoto gave Maizono an imploring look. “I think I understand why you did it, but… could you explain it to everyone? Why you’d kill Hagakure-kun, that is?”

“I…I…” Maizono choked, clearly trying to keep her composure. “I didn’t… I wouldn’t…!” Her eyes widened, her desperation out in the open for all to see.

“Nyahahahaha! Looks like you’ve all reached a decision! Time to see whose head will roll, don’t you think?” Monokuma stood up in his seat. The sound of Maizono’s muffled sobbing was now quite audible. Naegi clenched his eyes shut, forcing himself not to look at her for fear of breaking down himself. “Now then, take a look at the devices before you and choose your culprit. And don’t even think about shirking your duties! Voting is absolutely mandatory!”

Votes were cast. “The results are in!” Monokuma exclaimed, gesturing to one of the monitors in the room. The screen showed the image of a slot machine featuring the faces of every student. Makoto watched nervously as the panels lit up with Maizono’s face. The idol finally broke down completely. “Sayaka Maizono! Through unanimous vote, the jury has reached a verdict...” Monokuma’s eye flashed. “You are hereby found guilty of the murder of your dear comrade, Yasuhiro Hagakure. Please stand by for execution!”

“No! I…” Maizono looked like a cornered beast, eyes wild and breathing rapid. She started to back away from the ring of students. “No! I won’t go! I’m gonna… I have to get out of here!” As if on cue, a black wire shot out of god-knows-where and caught around one of Maizono’s wrists, wrapping tightly around it and pulling her towards her death. Maizono screamed as two more wires did the same to her other wrist and one of her legs. “I’m sorry! I made a mistake! I was _scared!_ Please, don’t do this! I’ll do anything!” Makoto gasped and started to run toward her, but a firm hand grasped his shoulder. He looked to see Kirigiri standing beside him and giving him a solemn, almost apologetic look. He understood at once; to attempt to save her would be suicide. All he could do was watch as the idol was dragged through the door to her fate.

The lights shut off. Students gasped. Makoto looked around frantically for a source of light, throwing his hands up to feel his surroundings (and accidentally groping someone), until he felt something patting his behind. He recognized the voice of Monokuma. “Come on, pick up the pace! Kids your age love concerts, don’t they?”

“Concerts? What the…?” Kuwata questioned. But they didn’t get an answer; instead, they were herded through the exit and into a noisy but still pitch black room.

“What’s going on?” whispered Asahina.

“I do not know, but if there is danger, I am right by your side,” replied Oogami.

Abruptly, they stopped. Makoto didn’t know where they were, but there were hushed whispers all around them—more whispers than there were students, it seemed.

That’s when it began.

A spotlight lit up and shone down on Sayaka Maizono, who stood at center stage with her body wrapped in black wires, rendering her immobile. She seemed to be standing on some sort of metal contraption which, to Naegi’s alarm, resembled a giant bear trap. A huge, brightly-lit sign hung behind the girl. It read, “Sayaka Maizono’s Final Performance.”

The singer cleared her throat (the microphone placed before her, he realized, was very much functional) and a quivering wail escaped her lips. The whispering surrounding Makoto and his classmates grew into cheers as she sang uneasily; apparently, they were in the middle of an audience of Monokumas. He also noted some sort of gauge on the side of the stage. As Maizono sang, the needle trembled between red, yellow, and green. As it slowly pointed closer and closer to red, the cheers of the Monokumas turned into jeers as they all began to boo the singer. The students merely watched, frozen in fascination and horror. The jaws of the trap began to shudder and the performer became increasingly panicked. Her voice was now barely a hoarse whisper and her eyes were wide and bright with terror. Beads of sweat rolled down Makoto’s forehead. Could she see them standing there amongst the crowd of riotous bears? Did she think that they had given up on her, that they had abandoned her? Fueled by a sudden passion, Makoto cupped his hands to his mouth and bellowed, “MAIZONO-SAAAAAAAAAAN!”

Maizono stopped singing, her mouth agape in shock. Then, the blades of the trap snapped shut. A head with a pretty face rolled downstage. The Super High-School Level Idol was no more.

Makoto Naegi screamed until he couldn’t scream anymore.

-x-x-

She should have had Monōkami rip Junko’s face off while she was at it. Mukuro didn’t like the way she stared vacantly upwards, as if she expected party balloons to drop from the ceiling.

Mukuro stood over her dead sister’s corpse in the center of the gymnasium, which she had locked that night, just in case. When she initiated the sequence to kill Junko, she felt no immediate sense of triumph, nor of remorse. Perhaps just a few months ago she would have felt some sort of despair, but as of that moment, Mukuro had long since accepted that Junko needed to die. To allow her to live would have endangered the mission. And so, Junko became just another casualty on the path to total despair. How ironic, Mukuro thought, since her sister had wanted it even more than the Puppetmaster herself. Well, at least she was happy in her final moments. Death was likely the greatest gift Mukuro could give to Junko.

She dropped onto her knees, her eyes still glued to Junko’s tranquil expression. The blood covering her skin had mostly dried up, though it was still wet closer to the wounds. Without thinking, she lowered her face so that it was merely an inch away from the corpse’s cheek. She inhaled deeply, the musty scent of blood streaming through her nostrils and filling her lungs. Such an aroma always invoked vivid, deeply-ingrained memories. Suddenly she was huddled amongst the greenery of the jungle, her hands wrapped around an enemy sniper’s throat after he failed to shoot her in time. Then she was crushing her comrade’s skull against the city pavement with her boot, the bones making a sickening crunch as her heel bore down on the girl’s face.

And then she was tying Maizono’s hair up (wouldn’t want such pretty locks to get chopped by the blades, would we?) with deft hands as the singer quietly begged for forgiveness. She silenced the girl when her hand slid over where her victim’s heart should be. “Sing,” the puppetmaster whispered, “or die.” Maizono’s pulse quickened under Mukuro’s palm. The corner of Mukuro’s lips twitched as she released her and stepped off the platform.

She exhaled reluctantly. She wished she could have killed Junko herself. She wished she could have watched her face-to-face as the fire in her eyes was snuffed out and her life slipped away. She wanted to watch Junko’s skull explode as Mukuro put a bullet in her brain. She wanted to feel the moment when her slender neck snapped in her hands. She wanted to cut her wide open and pin her to the wall like a butterfly on display for all to see. She wanted to do it again and again until they were both satisfied, both drowning in the depths of violence and despair.

But they could never be satisfied. It was only a dream. She leaned away from the corpse and cut her reflections off, forcing her senses to return to reality. The reality was that she didn’t need Junko’s orders—or even her permission—to act anymore. The reality was that, against all logic, the world was at _her_ fingertips, not Junko’s. She closed her sister’s eyes with a finger and thumb and lifted her body bridal style. She couldn’t let her sister’s body rot in the gym forever; she needed to store it until she could think of a good use for it. Maybe after she had a good number of them, she could rig them up with robotics and have them chase around the students if she got bored. Maybe she’d force Fujisaki to do it. The opportunities were endless.

Then she scowled. She was beginning to think too much like her sister. Playing the part of Monokuma was starting to get to her. What would be the point of it all? It would be a waste of flesh, flesh that could be put to better use, though Mukuro didn’t know what she’d need it all for yet.

She sighed and trudged past forgotten sports equipment, her footsteps echoing in the vast, open space. It was a long trek to the fifth floor, and all she could do for the moment was hope that nobody had decided to take a midnight stroll. She was in no mood to deal with stragglers.

**MONOKUMA THEATER**

Every day, all around the world, in casual conversation and in philosophical discussions, I have encountered the same message over and over and over: “I don’t want to die!”

It confounds me! Whenever I think about it, I get stumped stumpier than my adorable, stumpy tail. It’s like saying “I don’t want to breathe!” or “I don’t want to think!” You maggots are so afraid of death, but you are dying more and more every minute, aren’t you? Living itself is the act of steadily dying… every moment, a fraction of your life has ended, dead and gone.

So how are you going to spend this moment? Or this one? Are you going to join in the self-slaughter and fill yourself with empty junk foods, waste your brain cells on television shows and video games, or become a living pharmacy of toxic chemicals? Will you battle against natural law in an attempt to slow the decay of your life force? Will you cut to the chase and put an end to your friends’ lives on your own terms?

As for me, of course, I don’t have to worry about any of that stuff. Not only am I a robot, but there are hundreds of copies of me. So don’t worry about me! Go and live your dwindling lives as you see fit! There’s only so much sand in the hourglass, after all.

Oh, and don’t tell the other Monokumas what I said about being a robot. Some of them are suffering from severe Pinocchio syndrome, if you know what I mean.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tune in next year for another update! haha... ha............... uh


	5. Band of Brothers (Pt. 1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> happy birthday to the Worst Twins

“W-we killed her… the decision to execute Maizono-san… we’re the ones who made it! She’s gone because of us!” Fujisaki wept.

It was the morning after the execution. Morale was low, and the atmosphere was as heavy and dark as the bags under the students’ eyes. Few of them had slept very well last night, if at all. Reality had finally caught up to them, and it wasn’t pretty.

“Would you rather have died in her place? I’m sure we’d hardly notice the difference. We may not have even realized that you were gone,” said Togami.

Fujisaki’s face contorted in a futile effort to hide her tears. Oowada stepped towards Togami, his eyes ablaze with rage. “Hey, asshole! Pick on someone your own size!” 

Togami scoffed and ignored him.

Before the situation could escalate any further, Makoto stepped in. “It’s alright, Fujisaki-san, he doesn’t mean it.” This prompted additional grumbles from the heir, but he continued. “It wasn’t anyone’s fault, least of all yours.”

“Naegi Makoto-dono is right!” proclaimed Yamada. “There are evil forces at work here that have corrupted our fighting spirits. No matter what, we must counter it!”

Makoto nodded. “Yeah. It’s this place… the Puppetmaster is the one who’s turning us against one another. None of us would ever murder if it weren’t for them, I’m sure of it!”

“Killing each other… man, and here I hoped that it was all a crazy dream. But that girl, Maizono-san…” Kuwata trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck absently. The group fell silent, mourning their fallen classmates. Makoto still couldn’t believe it himself; part of him expected Hagakure and Maizono to walk in through the cafeteria doors, laughing and apologizing for being late.

“Ooh, are you holding a funeral? Should I fire a twenty-one gun salute? I could get one of the Gatling guns from the entrance hall!” Monokuma’s wretched voice ripped through the silence. The students flinched in surprise as they realized that he’d been standing on one of the round cafeteria tables in the background. “Too bad you don’t even have their bodies to weep over! But sometimes, that’s just the way it goes.”

“What do you want?” Kirigiri asked brusquely.

Monokuma crossed his arms. “Eh? Can’t a headmaster relax and get to know his beloved pupils every once and a while without getting persecuted?”

“Get to the point,” barked Togami.

“Yes, sir!” Monokuma snapped a salute. “I’m here to report that the shutters to the staircase near the gymnasium have been opened. In short, you can now access the second floor.” He put his paws on his cheeks. “A whole new frontier to explore! You maggots can’t say that I don’t spoil you.”

“I assume that this freedom wasn’t granted to us without consequence,” said Oogami.

“Oh, yes, how could I forget to mention? Every time you maggots pass a class trial, a new floor of the school becomes available for you to explore and enjoy. Think of it as a boon to be won, or even better, a gift from me to you! You’re welcome.” He chuckled. “Of course, someone needs to die in order for a school trial to occur, but sacrifices must be made for the greater good, yeah?”

“We’re not going to kill one of our friends just so we can wander around more!” exclaimed Asahina passionately.

“No? Ah, well, it was worth a shot. By the way, I’ve highlighted that fact in a new rule. You can confirm it in your ElectroIDs at any time.”

“Why?” Kirigiri questioned. “What do you have to gain from letting us explore?”

Monokuma cocked his head and wiggled his ears. “’Gain’? I’m not sure what you mean. Do you want me to shut the gates again and keep you down here? Is a whole ‘nother floor too much responsibility?”

“Hahaha! Oh, Kirigiri-san, you’re such a jokest— _ oof _ !” Kirigiri jabbed Kuwata in the ribs the moment he tried to drape his arm around her shoulders.

“Ufufufufu… that’s what I thought,” said Monokuma, who started to wander towards the kitchen. “Well, that’s all for now. Happy trails, explorers! Monokuma out!”  He waved and disappeared through the doorway.

“A new floor to access… I wonder what sort of rooms are there,” pondered Celes. “Perhaps someplace that will make our daily lives less dreary?”

Makoto shook his head. “Whatever it is, it can’t be worth the deaths of two of our friends.”

“Tch. Maybe not to you,” Togami sneered.

“Huh?”

He paused to push his glasses up his nose before glaring in Makoto’s direction. “If there’s something worth investigating up there, whether on the second floor or beyond, I’ll gladly seize the opportunity. It’s of no consequence to me. Meanwhile, you’re all free to mumble and mope to your heart’s content.” He paused to stand a little taller and leer down his nose at his peers. “In fact, I don’t feel like wasting any more time at these meetings. I have better things to do.” Without giving anyone a chance to protest, Togami turned and marched out the cafeteria doors.

“Did he even eat breakfast?” Asahina wondered out loud.

“Who gives a fuck? Good riddance, I say,” said Oowada.

“While I do not wish to distrust a fellow student,” Oogami added, “I fear that he may not value human life as the rest of us do. It may be that he is a danger to us.”

“Agreed… I don’t really feel safe knowing that he’s around…” Fujisaki said softly.

“Yeah, that guy gives me the creeps. I bet he won’t even bother with the nighttime rule. I mean, it’s not really enforced, right?” inquired Kuwata.

“I’m afraid not,” Celes answered, gently shaking her head. “I’m not sure how we  _ could _ enforce it. Certainly, we could have someone keep watch, but that leaves one of us open to attack.”  

“Y-you won’t get me to volunteer,” mumbled Fukawa. “Forcing me to look out for p-people who hate me…” She pointed an accusatory finger. “You can’t make me do it!”

“Huh? Yo, calm down, nobody’s making you do anything,” Kuwata assured. “Right?”

“What if we had two people watching at once?” suggested Fujisaki.

“That could still mean trouble. Even with three people, I doubt it would be lead to anything good,” said Kirigiri.

“I will do it!” Ishimaru cried suddenly, startling his classmates. “As long as I live and breathe, I will not allow another murder to take place! I swear that none shall be harmed under my watchful gaze!”

“All by yourself? Are you sure, Ishimaru-kun? If you’d like, I could switch with you every once and a while so you can get some sleep,” Asahina offered.

“Ah, I appreciate the concern, Asahina-kun, but that won’t be necessary. It’s my duty to enforce the rules for the sake of my fellow classmates!”

“I don’t object,” said Celes. “I would feel much safer with someone like Ishimaru-kun on patrol.”

Oogami nodded decisively. “I believe that this arrangement is in everyone’s best interest. Still, if you ever desire a break, Ishimaru, call on someone you trust to take over for a few hours. I would be more than happy to oblige.”

“It is decided, then. Any nighttime wanderer will have to report to Ishimaru,” stated Kirigiri.  _ That’ll make anyone think twice about roaming around at night, _ thought Makoto,  _ if only to avoid a barrage of questions from the Super High-School Level Prefect. _ Kirigiri continued; “Let’s begin investigating the second floor of the school. We may find some clues relating to our situation there.”

“Certainly. Let us regroup and share what we’ve found after the search, shall we?” Everyone agreed to Celes’s proposal. “Excellent. Happy hunting, everyone.”

-x-x-

Maizono would not be the Puppetmaster’s only mole, Mukuro decided. She could hardly expect to properly keep tabs on all the goings-on if her one source was already dead. The cameras may cover nearly the entire school, but there were blind-spots, and she couldn’t be expected to absorb  _ everything _ that happened on  _ every _ camera, no matter how honed her perception was. Besides, the cameras just didn’t catch the subtle nuances in her classmates’ behavior.

As the thought crossed her mind, Mukuro almost laughed at the irony. Before the mutual killing had begun, she couldn’t have cared less about her classmates’ interactions. In fact, she had actively distanced herself from them. Now, however, it was like they were her entire life. Here she was willingly analyzing their politics, interacting with them through Monokuma (albeit with a massively different personality from her own), and even maintaining their living space. As Junko would say, it was quite a plot-twist.

Not that it bothered Mukuro either way. If this is what it took to accomplish the mission, then she’d do so without complaint. Though, admittedly, it grew dull at times. She wasn’t accustomed to being so stationary.

She turned her thoughts back to choosing the next spy. Oowada would be easy to manipulate if she hit him in all the right tender spots, figuratively speaking. All she had to do was dangle the threat of his secret being made public knowledge in front of his nose and he’d be on his knees. Heck, she probably wouldn’t even have to approach him personally for him to snap, but why pass up an opportunity to gather intel in the meantime? In fact, why stop at one mole? She could have a whole troop of them running about causing trouble—all completely unaware of each other, of course.

She chose Celes, Yamada, and Kuwata in addition to Oowada. She didn’t trust anyone else for the job; neither Naegi nor Asahina would ever cooperate, Kirigiri would take the opportunity to snoop, Fujisaki would hack into the network or something, Fukawa and/or Syo would go blabbing at some inopportune moment, Oogami’s strength was too large a threat, Ishimaru was annoying, and Togami… actually, she wasn’t sure whether or not Togami would be a worthwhile ally, but she wasn’t about to take any chances.

Heh. Junko is probably rolling in her grave, thought Mukuro. Not that it really matters. She isn’t in charge. She never was, really.

She scanned the monitors. It was the middle of the night, so the only thing going on was Ishimaru’s dutiful patrol. She wondered how long he could go without sleeping. Perhaps he’d drop dead of exhaustion. That would be fairly anti-climactic, she thought, but it would be his own fault. She supposed she’d just have to wait and see. In the meantime, it was an excellent opportunity for her to clock in some bunk time. She didn’t get many chances like this; keeping track of a dozen individual students required constant vigilance. Unlike Ishimaru, she understood that if one wishes to maintain such vigilance, one must attend to their basic needs whenever the opportunity arises.

She’d consult the new infiltrators in the mornings over the next few days before breakfast, she resolved. Then, she hoped, the real fun would begin.

-x-x-

“Hey, bro… you sure you’re gonna be alright?”

Ishimaru’s eyebrows jumped in surprise. “Why, of course, brother! You needn’t worry yourself with the plate of my body. I am well aware of my digits.” He slapped Mondo on the back. “I appreciate your sideburns, though!”

Plates? Digits? Sideburns? He was clearly out of it. “You sure about that, bro? That was a pretty sick fall you took in the sauna.”

“That is the truth, brother, but if you remember, I sprang right back up as spoon as we were out of the bleat. You see, I’m fitter than a riddle!”

Mondo laughed, silently wondering if he should point out Ishimaru’s sudden speech impediment. “Yeah, you’re really a spry dude, bro! But, uh, how long has it been since you last slept?”

“Hmm? Oh, I don’t know, perhaps… two days? Three? Ha ha, I’ve crossed count.”

“Whoa! That’s crazy-talk! Bro, you’ve gotta let me take over for a night, that shit ain’t healthy!”

Ishimaru laughed enthusiastically. “Worry not, dear mother! I do not need sleep; my spirit is invigorated with the college that under my watch, not a single one of our classmates has been armed.”

“Heh, alright, if you’re sure. Gotta trust a man’s judgment!” Suddenly Mondo’s stomach dropped.  _ Trust _ . The word stuck in his mind like a thorn.

“In fact, I was wondering whether you could do me a favor, brother,” the prefect said solemnly.

“Of course, bro, what do you need?”

“I would like you to take my room key from me each night to impure that I do not neglect my duties and return to my room to sleep. I would collect the bee from you each morning, of course. Would you do that for me, dearest bro?”

“Y-yeah... gotta... trust a man’s judgement...”

“Thank you barely much, brother!” Ishimaru shoved the key into Mondo’s hand without a second thought. “Ah, but... you don’t look so lively yourself, brother. Is something wrong?” Ishimaru observed.

“Huh? N-nah, I was just thinking that I’m getting pretty tired myself. I think I’m gonna go hit the hay.”

“Ah! Very well, brother, I hope that you get a restful night’s sheep. If you need anything, I will be patrolling the purgatory hallways, as per usual.”

“Yeah!” Mondo said a little too enthusiastically. “And in the morning, I’ll make us a breakfast of champions, Mondo-style!” He started backing away towards his room. “Alright, see you tomorrow. G’night.”

“Goodnight, brother!” Ishimaru waved goodbye until his friend disappeared.

Mondo shut his door, strolled right up to his bed, and promptly kicked the side with all his might. It nearly flipped over. “God fucking  _ damnit _ !” he roared. Here he was preaching about trusting in another man’s judgment and calling a guy his “brother” when he was probably one of the most untrustworthy people in the whole damn building. He felt more like a rat than a man, cornered and desperate, and he hated it. He clutched and his head and growled. He was so stupid. So stupid! How could he even be sure that damn bear would keep his word? Do bears have a sense of honor, even? He huffed angrily. It didn’t really matter either way; he had to do it. It was the only chance he had to keep his secret safe.

The scene had been on repeat in his head all day. “Y’know, I was a huge fan of Daiya Oowada-san when he was around _ , _ ” Monokuma had said. “Fratricide is so very tragic... but sometimes it is necessary, don’t you think?”

Mondo froze on the spot. “H-how… how did you…” Then he brandished his fists. “Are you looking for a beating, fucker? Is that what you want?”

Monokuma flinched and adopted a sheepish expression. “N-no, not at all! I just thought, maybe, because we have so much in common, you and I…” He looked down, crestfallen. “Ah, perhaps I was being too forward.”

“What the hell do you want?” the thug roared.

“Ufufufu… or not forward enough? Well, then, allow me to explain. I would like you and I to be in cahoots.”

“Cahoots?”

“Cahoots! You know, like a conspiracy. All you have to do is let me know of any interesting developments among your classmates. Oh, and I’d like you to kill somebody if and when I so desire. Easy, right?”

“Kill… somebody…?” Mondo growled, incredulous.

“Oi… are you awake? You want to graduate, don’t you?” Mondo didn’t answer; his face only became increasingly twisted in a confused rage. “Alright, let me put it nice and simple for you, monkey-face: if you don’t do exactly what I say, I will reveal your big secret to the entire world. That’s right, even your precious gang buddies will know the truth!”

“G-guh… you… I…!” Mondo stammered.

“Hmm? Do you need me to answer for you? ‘Yes, Monokuma, that sounds like a wonderful and mutually beneficial arrangement that I would love to be a part of!’” Monokuma put his hands on his hips. “Come on, it’s as easy as ‘yes’ or ‘no.’ So what’ll it be? Victory or humiliation?”

Mondo stared at the bear for a few moments as if still trying to determine whether or not he was even real. Then he dipped his head in resignation and replied, “Yeah. I’ll do it.”

“Of course you will! You don’t actually have a choice, anyway. By the way, don’t even think of picking an easy target, or I might just let a hint or two slip during the trial.”

“Huh? Are you accusing me of thinking to kill a chick? What kind of asshole do you take me for?”

“No, no, I know about your meaningless code of ethics. I’m saying don’t pick on a weakling like Naegi-kun or Fujisaki-san. That’s just pathetic, and way too easy! Pick someone a little more interesting, yeah?”

_ DING DONG DING DONG _

Mondo shook his head vigorously as if to banish the memory as Monokuma’s evening announcement sounded over the intercom. He hated being sneaky, but he had no choice. He didn’t want to have to murder some poor kid, but he had no choice. He didn’t want to be at the mercy of some scumbag, but he had no choice! When it came down to whether he’d betray his classmates or his gang, the decision was obvious.

Plus… his brother had given him everything. Keeping his promise was the least he could do. Even if he  _ hadn’t _ made a man’s vow, Mondo’s decision would be the same; Daiya’s legacy deserved to live on, no matter what.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> merry christmas, jerks


End file.
